During my time of reflection I began thinking about the world. Wondering why the world is more than two-thirds of water when humans have no gills. Why so much water and so little land? It was during this reflection that I heard my son ask, “Daddy when are we going swimming?” He did not have a clue about what I was thinking or about swimming strokes: freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly, or backstroke. Yet, he wanted to know when we would go swimming again. I love it! Why? Because my son is saying to me, “I am not afraid of the water.” That speaks volumes about life. If you are going to swim, the first thing you must overcome is the fear of the water. You cannot swim in what you are afraid of.

Although I think that it is a good idea that everyone learns to swim, one’s ability to swim does not always keep them from drowning.

This session has been just like water. Some have described the two-thirds takeover of the House of Representatives as a tsunami.

As a result, many feel like they have been pulled out into the middle of the ocean without a life jacket and wondering how working families can continue to breathe and swim in order to make it back to shore. While it may be difficult, there is hope!

To stay head above waters we must also continue to look up. We must neither allow ourselves to be pulled down with negativity based on what has transpired nor wonder about the “what if’s.” We must focus our energy on moving from where we are right now. There is temptation at this point to become overwhelmed with what must be done in order to make it back to shore. However, this is the perfect time to join forces, be vulnerable, and collaborative with others who are trying to keep their heads above water as well.

Even when help arrives we must still remain calm because if we panic we risk drowning ourselves as well as those who have come to our rescue.

Next, we must consistently swim in the direction of our values. To swim against our values would be unwise and leaves the swimmer exhausted with no progression.

Swimming through deep waters is not easy. Sometimes the depth of the challenge can take your breath away.

But as Dory, a small fish in the Disney Movie Finding Nemo says, “Just keep swimming, everything will be okay.”